Fishing rod holder

Abstract

A fishing rod holder which includes a spike for insertion into the ground, a platform affixed to the spike, and a hollow open-ended cylinder pivotally affixed to the platform, the cylinder for capturing and retaining therein the handle of a fishing rod.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fishing rod holder for use with a fishing rod having a handle adjacent one end thereof, comprising a rigid substantially flat platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, a spike fixedly secured to said lower surface of said platform, the longitudinal axis of said spike being substantially perpendicular to said lower surface, a hollow double open-ended cylinder forming a longitudinal chamber therein, said cylinder having a first open end and a second open end, said second end of said cylinder hingedly affixed to said upper surface of said platform, said second end of said cylinder being disposed in a use position when the longitudinal axis of said cylinder extends normal to said upper surface of said flat platform whereby said second end of said cylinder rests upon said upper surface of said flat platform forming a fishing rod handle holding chamber having the only one open end remaining located at said first end of said cylinder, said longitudinal axis of said cylinder being pivoted away from said use position into a fishing rod handle insertion position whereby said longitudinal axis of said cylinder forms an acute angle with said upper surface of said platform, means for releasably retaining said handle of said fishing rod in said cylinder when said handle is inserted into said longitudinal chamber through said first end of said cylinder whereby the longitudinal axis of said handle is at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, said retention means including at least one semi-resilient element fixedly secured to a surface forming said handle holding chamber. 
     
     
       2. A fishing rod holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said semi-resilient element is substantially fork shaped and provides a shank portion fixedly secured to said surface, a base portion substantially perpendicular to the base portion, and a plurality of substantially parallel tines extending outwardly substantially perpendicular to said base portion and disposed in the same plane as said shank portion. 
     
     
       3. A fishing rod holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said shank is fixedly secured to said surface in such a manner as to orient said plane in a position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said chamber. 
     
     
       4. A fishing rod holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the uppermost surface of said platform is provided with a friction inducing finish. 
     
     
       5. A fishing rod holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cylinder is hingedly affixed to said platform by a spring urged butterfly hinge, said spring urged butterfly hinge urging said cylinder into said use position, said hinge being located at a marginal edge of said flat platform.